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Marionann - posted on 03/11/2013

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my 4 year old son is so full of energy. hes non stop for 18 hours a day literally bouncing off everything. i cant take him anywhere as he goes crazy no matter what i do nothing works. ive even done the triple p programme. he is so clever and always wanting to learn new things but just constant. he must have my constant attention and my other two children often feel left out. i am at breaking point as i suffer from severe depression myself and feel exhausted with the wee man.

I would look at his diet first before even thinking ADHD is the causes of your 4 year old's out of control behavior... cut out ALL added sugar to his diet and minimize foods that when processed turn into sugar. Maybe consult a nutrition site online and get some diet tips... and let him run around in the back yard (if you have one). Take out TV and see what happens. . . Good luck! Hang in there. My son's only two so I have a ways to go before I reach your stage..

Being a mom of girls, I don't know what is supposed to be normal "boy" behavior. I have one mellow kid and one very energetic kid. I think little boys generally need a bit more physical activity from what I've seen. It seems like it might be jumping the gun to think he is ADHD without proper diagnosis, which of course you have to wait awhile for. Considering all the hoops and expensive medications your family will be subjected to, it's in your best interest to do everything you can to rule out that possibility and chalk his behavior up to something else! Definitely examine his diet closely. Definitely consider how much screen time he's getting and turn off the tube if it's on. Make sure he's getting enough rest. Get his buns outside all day long in the rain and shine and get him moving. Get together with other moms of boys his age and talk turkey. See what they are like and compare notes. Maybe he's just as nutty as the rest of them!? Maybe not. But at least you'll have found some company to commiserate with in the mean time. I'm sure it must be really hard, because I know my three-year-old girl drives me up a wall. But then I also consider my own quirks and wonder if maybe I'm just too uptight. Lots of things to think about until you can get that evaluation! :) Good luck and have patience.

just because your 4 year old is "out of control" doesn't mean he has adhd. Have you thought of possibly being a little more stricter with him? do you discipline him at all? Pls any child can had the "symptoms" of adhd children, why? because their children!!!! they have a lot of energy and get easily distracted and don't listen! I'm sorry if I sound harsh but it's true lol. I'm sick of hearing about parents assuming there MUST be something mentally wrong with their child if they act up a lot or are very very very active. Look at some options of discipline and change of diet before you go shoving drugs down his throat pls.

I think it's normal for little boys to be out of control. I have a son who will be 4 in Nov and he has his days where he is so wild and out of control that I would love to check my self into the crazy house. I have found that when he is like that all I need to do is let him out doors or do something that will use a lot of his energy up. I think that a lot of kids at that age get diagnosed with adhd or something that the docs want to put them on med and I have seen this done with friends children and family members kids and the side effects or even watching how it makes them a diff person then what they were is crazy to put them on meds at that age they need to be active and do things. I'm not saying that there are kids out there with adhd that need meds but I would wait till he got a little older and then see how he is then.

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Kelley - posted on 04/08/2014

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Hello...Have you thought about PDA...(Pathological Demand Avoidance)....Here is a web page you might find useful....Or look up PDA on facebook....http://www.thepdaresource.com/. Lots of people available to answer all questions.....All or most are in the same position as yourself and are trying to find something which fits their child....Look it up and see what you think....Hope it helps..........Kelley

I would try preschool and see how he does! I new my son had it from when he was 2, but always said no meds until it affected him and school work, He was in preschool from 3 years until kindergarden. He has been on meds since 1st grade. It is something very hard to deal with but patients is the best key! I would talk to pedi dr about options out there, my son goes to a thearpist, and a behavioral skills thearpists going to start going to his school 1 a week and coming to the house 1 a week. He is now in the fourth grade it is hard sad and challenaging not only for the parent but for the child. Gl and I hope everything gets better!

I really appreciate the post that acknowledges ADHD is more than a energetic child. Whether this child is or isnt, is debatable since we do not know him or the parents. However its just as.cruel and presumptuous to think the mother is just labeling him or not disciplining him. As a mother with ADD who has a 4 yr old being assessed for ADHD I understand how critical and self-doubting we can be of ourselves. It feels like failure to know you can't handle or help your child without help of some sort, not necessarily medication, just help. So hang in there work with Dr.s a structured environment, or routine, such as preschool has helped my son but he still will tell me he can't be still or he wants to pay attention. That is not " normal" behavior. So before you criticize her parenting why not try supporting her!!!!

This is such a tough thing to go throughand being a mom of 2 boys who had ADHD I know it takes quite a bit to get a diagnosis......is there a family history? I would talk to your doctor about it. He will or should be able to help you understand ADHD and if he could possibly have ADHD. It is possible to diagnosis as early as 4 but just be patient! I know tose behaviors can be tough!

I agree with another post that mentioned that diet may be the reason your 4 year old is out of control. It is such a huge factor in behavior that isn't always brought up first. Food sensitivities can play a major role in things from sleeping habits, to emotions, to learning and it can be really tough on their little bodies if they have sensitivities or allergies that aren't being addressed! You will get through it! Good luck!

I think that perhaps It would be a good idea to express your concern that your 4 year old is out of control to your doctor for a start and get a professional opinion on whats going on with you and your boy, Boys are indeed a handful and I have 3, their personalities are all very different and each needs to be handled in a different way to keep life stable lol. There are many reasons other than and including ADHD for certain behaviors and many professionals advocate early intervention to help you work with these behaviors before they reach school full time. Even if he hasn't got ADHD or even if he has there will be someone who can help put into place coping mechanisms for the behavior displayed and make things a little easier to deal with given the right tools. You have nothing to loose by seeking help and everything to gain. good luck with it !

ADHD is not the same as a little boys constant energy. If you are concerned about your son then do as much research as you can to confirm your suspicions and then seek what ever medical help is appropriate. It doesn't mean your son will need to be medicated but you could learn some good parenting tips to help you cope better, so that you don't feel isolated or that you are going mad and also so that your son can get some kind of structure/ routine going that will start to help him take responsibility for his situation. Some people don't like putting labels on kids but if it can help you understand him better your job as a loving parent will become alot easier. Also when you are at your wits end with his behaviour and all your friends kids seem like angels you can remind everyone that he is a decent kid and you are a good parent you are both just trying to cope with his ADHD. It is not an excuse, it is just a fact. My eldest step-son has ADHD and I know how tough raising them can be! Best Wishes to you and your family.

I definitely feel ya. My son is 5 and I just can't handle it anymore. He does not listen, ignores everyone and is constantly jumping off of the walls. It's like I am not even there half of the time. When I cry is when he starts to simmer down for a moment. After I stop crying, all hell breaks loose again. I believed that my son has add/adhd too but they are really too young to accuretly test for it.

Here's a great article about the differences between the way children under 5 think versus the way adults and older children think. The basic theme of the article is that kids at age 4 are not supposed to be focused. Their brains are wired for exploration. Too often we wrongly expect children of a certain young age to process their world like we as adults. Perhaps what we should do is adjust our expectations:

What exactly is the behaviors he is displaying that make you think he is ADHD. Children are too young to be properly diagnosed as ADHD at that age. Wait until he get a little older to get him tested if you still think he is. I'm sorry you think your 4 year old is out of control but he may just be a typical rambunctios little boy. Boys are full of energy and perhaps he needs more of an outlet to release that energy. I know my son bounces off of the wall constantly. Be careful with the ADHD thing because there are too many kids out there that are labeled as ADHD that are not at all.

Boys are out of control!!LOL after 6 of them I have yet to have or see a boy that is not busy busy busy! They are physical and need movement to express themselves. Do not try to restrain him if there is time and space for him to go. Teach him there are times and places to remain still, but the rest of the time let him explore. It is what they are made for!

Give him things to break and take apart. Boys love that. Get him a hammer an dnails that he can use outside under supervision. No, he is not too young for these things. My husband takes the boys to the compactor and lets them throw the glass recylcing into the bin so they can hear it crash and break apart. the first time he did this for each of them their eyes got big around and then they loved it!

Your boy is normal, healthy and intelligent, challange him!

He can learn to focus in short bursts until he is ready to do it for an extended amount of time. ADHD is simply a way of saying a boy can't be still because his body needs more activity. My 17 year old is ADHD too as well as my 6 yr old. I work with them and their needs to get them where they need to be.

Your son is too young to be properly diagnosed with ADHD because so many 4-year-olds, particularly boys, are just so active at this age. However, if you don't see him slowing down and starting to focus his attention more by 5 or 6, certainly express your concerns with his pediatrician or a pediatric psychiatrist. Meanwhile, check that he's having a properly balanced diet. I have one friend who found that food sensitivities were affecting her son's behavior. (She started a website http://grayson-youarewhatyoueat.blogspot... that you can peruse if you think it will help.)

I agree with another post that mentioned that diet may be the reason your 4 year old is out of control. It is such a huge factor in behavior that isn't always brought up first. Food sensitivities can play a major role in things from sleeping habits, to emotions, to learning and it can be really tough on their little bodies if they have sensitivities or allergies that aren't being addressed! You will get through it! Good luck!

I think that perhaps It would be a good idea to express your concern that your 4 year old is out of control to your doctor for a start and get a professional opinion on whats going on with you and your boy, Boys are indeed a handful and I have 3, their personalities are all very different and each needs to be handled in a different way to keep life stable lol. There are many reasons other than and including ADHD for certain behaviors and many professionals advocate early intervention to help you work with these behaviors before they reach school full time. Even if he hasn't got ADHD or even if he has there will be someone who can help put into place coping mechanisms for the behavior displayed and make things a little easier to deal with given the right tools. You have nothing to loose by seeking help and everything to gain. good luck with it !

What exactly is the behaviors he is displaying that make you think he is ADHD. Children are too young to be properly diagnosed as ADHD at that age. Wait until he get a little older to get him tested if you still think he is. I'm sorry you think your 4 year old is out of control but he may just be a typical rambunctios little boy. Boys are full of energy and perhaps he needs more of an outlet to release that energy. I know my son bounces off of the wall constantly. Be careful with the ADHD thing because there are too many kids out there that are labeled as ADHD that are not at all.